This year has been full of unusual events in men's tennis.

Men's tennis always has its share of surprises annually, but this year stands out with an abundance of them. Ignoring the smaller ones, the significant events are far from few.

Firstly, after defending his Australian Open crown at the start of the year, the world No.1 and Italy’s top newcomer Sinner was suspended for three months over a doping case from the previous year, only resuming play at the Rome Masters in early May. Returning to the ATP tour like a caged tiger, Sinner reached the finals of both the Rome Masters and the French Open, finishing runner-up in both.

Although Sinner, the defending champion at the ATP 500 Halle event, faced a setback when he was upset in the second round by Kazakhstan’s powerful Bublik, he reached seven finals out of eight tournaments in the second half of the year (except for the Shanghai Masters where he retired in the third round due to severe leg cramps). He won five titles (Wimbledon, ATP 500 China Open, Vienna, Paris Masters, and ATP Finals), narrowly missing the year-end No.1 spot by just 550 points behind 2025 ATP year-end leader Alcaraz.

Secondly, the 38-year-old Serbian superstar Djokovic, holder of 24 Grand Slam titles and 40 Masters trophies, as well as seven ATP Finals championships, eight year-end No.1 rankings, and a record 428 weeks at world No.1, surprised many who doubted his longevity. Despite his age, Djokovic managed to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slams this year consecutively, finishing the year ranked fourth. Is Djokovic simply too strong, are the younger players not up to the challenge, or is it a combination of both?

Thirdly, Monaco’s 27-year-old player Vacherot, no longer a young prospect, was ranked only 204th in the world when he fought through qualifiers at the Shanghai Masters due to other players withdrawing. Fearless against tough opponents, he not only qualified for the main draw but astonishingly won seven consecutive matches to claim the title in Shanghai, turning an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan story. Notably, in the quarterfinals, he came back to defeat Denmark’s rising star and 2022 Paris Masters champion Rune, then defeated Djokovic, the all-time ATP record holder, in straight sets in the semifinals.

Fourthly, after winning the US Open, Alcaraz reached six Grand Slam titles and reclaimed the world No.1 ranking. For a time, media, legends, and fans lavished praise and admiration on him.

British TV commentator and former professional player Mark Page said, “It is often said that no one can surpass the sport itself because it continually evolves and is passed down. But every sport’s golden era has an iconic figure. In the 1990s, we had Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls in the NBA; now, we have Alcaraz.”

Renowned American tennis coach Mouratoglou stated, “Alcaraz plays like the Swiss maestro Federer but at a higher level. He is the most unpredictable player I’ve ever seen. He can apply pressure at the net, attack from the baseline, and even use delicate drop shots with both forehand and backhand to confuse opponents. He tries every shot imaginable to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm. I’m sure none of us could do that, but if anyone can, it would be Sinner, even if only briefly.”

Even Sinner, who lost the US Open and dropped to world No.2, admitted, “I must make some changes and become less predictable if I want to truly compete against Alcaraz.” In truth, Alcaraz and Sinner have distinct playing styles, each excelling in their own way. The outcome depends on who is in better form and can fully express their style in these pinnacle battles of prodigies. This was evident in both the Wimbledon and US Open finals this year.

Fifthly, at the ATP Finals in Turin, Sinner defeated Alcaraz in straight sets (7–6, 7–5) to successfully defend his title, causing a sudden shift in momentum and sparking a wave of praise for Sinner and criticism of Alcaraz.

The most notable example is American coach Mouratoglou, who said, “Sinner ranks first in both serving and returning, an unprecedented feat in tennis history. No player before has dominated both serving and returning simultaneously. Federer served well, but Nadal and Djokovic excelled at returning. Alcaraz still needs to improve his serve consistency and aggressive returns to challenge a well-rounded player like Sinner.” However, Sinner himself disagrees, viewing Alcaraz’s serve as “exceptional and a constant inspiration that drives my training.”

There is no need to judge Alcaraz and Sinner’s strengths or weaknesses based on a single match result. These two chosen rivals with contrasting styles are evenly matched. Their peak confrontations depend on who is in better form, more focused, and can maximize their unique playing style.

(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Qicai Doufen)